A "hot" contest on cards

HYDERABAD, April 8: The Hyderabad-Karnataka Ranji Trophy semi-final match which begins at the Gymkhana from tomorrow will be a `hotly' conte...

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HYDERABAD, April 8: The Hyderabad-Karnataka Ranji Trophy semi-final match which begins at the Gymkhana from tomorrow will be a `hotly’ contested one.With the temperatures oscillating between 40 and 42 degree celsius, it will be a hard grind for the two teams. But positive factor is the Gymkhana wicket which gave five days of exciting cricket in the quarter-final match against Bengal. Both the teams are hoping the same result-oriented wicket will turn the match their way.

Hyderabad manager ML Jaisimha has a simple message to his boys. “Don’t say it’s too hot. Just play.” The former Test cricketer said the home side will have the advantage because “they are more adjusted to the heat than the visitors. The heat will be a major factor in this match.”

However, according to Karnataka skipper Rahul Dravid, the heat will be same to both the teams. “I have told my boys it will not be easy to maintain their concentration. You have to be cool.”

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The home team may effect one change. Left-hander Santosh Yadav,who has recovered from his ankle injury, may come in place of Timothy Ravikumar which leaves the out-of-form Arvind Shetty one more chance to come good. There was a pall of gloom on eve of the match as Vanka Pratap’s mother passed away in the morning. The Hyderabad team skipped the practice session today.

Dravid, who returns to the Karnataka side after the National selectors decided to ignore him for the Sharjah tourney also, was surprised to see the change in the Gymkhana wicket. “It will help the fast bowlers and the ball may keep low occasionally. It will be a good toss to win.”

Karnataka would no doubt miss the services of medium-pacer David Johnson, who is out with a pulled muscle. Dodda Ganesh and Mansoor Ali Khan have to play a big role in this match. Dravid hinted that a sixth batsman may be played instead of an extra medium-pacer.

In the South Zone league match between the two teams, Karnataka took the first innings lead with then skipper Kumble hitting a century. It was in this match DanielManohar made a memorable debut century for Hyderabad.The team which keeps a cool head would be the winner irrespective of the strength and weakness of either teams. In the evening on Wednesday there was cloud cover which gave relief from the heat.

TEAMS

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HYDERABAD: MV Sridhar (c), Daniel Manohar, Arvind Shetty, Vanka Pratap, A Nandakishore, Santosh Yadav, Youraj Singh (wk), Noel David, Venkatapathy Raju, Narenderpal Singh, Kanwaljit Singh, Shivaji Yadav, R Sridhar, Timothy Ravikumar, Karthik Ramaswamy, T Pavan Kumar, Mohiuddin. Manager: ML Jaisimha.KARNATAKA: Rahul Dravid (c), J Arun Kumar, Sujith Somasunder, Fazal Khaleel, Vijay R Bhardwaj, Sunil Joshi, Somasekhar Siruguppi (wk), DS Ananth, Anand Katti, D Ganesh, A Vijay, Mansoor Ali Khan, HT Girish Rao, P Srinivas Murthy, K Sriram. Manager-cum-coach: B Raghunath.

UMPIRES: CK Sathe (Maharashtra) and MR Singh (Mumbai). Match observer: D Dotiwala.